Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right hip disability is rated at 100% from December 26, 2013 to January 1, 2015 and at 30% afterwards. A TDIU is granted. The reductions of the Veteran’s bilateral knee instability ratings were not proper. The left hip replacement surgery rating needs to be reviewed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension. The claims of service connection for left knee condition and right knee condition are remanded, as is the claim for service connection for depression.

The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for symptomatic left knee meniscus removal from October 20, 2009 to September 5, 2012. The initial rating for left knee degenerative joint disease was denied as the symptomatology did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's GERD and cervical spine pain are granted service connection. The bilateral foot disability, right shoulder, knee, and ankle scars, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are all granted initial ratings of 30 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and a back disability, but denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities. The case of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee and left foot disabilities due to incomplete development, failure to comply with special procedures for homeless veterans, and incomplete consideration of relevant evidence.

The Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected back disability. The issues of increased ratings for left wrist, lumbosacral spine, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 10 percent, and his painful limited flexion of the left knee is separately rated at 10 percent. The bilateral ankle strains are each rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's service connection for schizophrenia and left ear hearing loss is granted, while his claims for back condition, neck condition, and bilateral knee condition are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and congestive heart failure as secondary to hypertension. The Veteran's lower back disability, initially rated as lumbar osteoarthritis, is now rated at 40 percent from May 20, 2014, to December 21, 2017, with a 20 percent rating thereafter for cervical spine degenerative disc disease. The left knee strain with shin splints remains at a non-compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle and hip disabilities.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed for the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, epididymitis, and PTSD due to the passage of time since their last examinations and the Veteran's reported worsening symptoms.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and evaluation due to new evidence indicating an increase in severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities since his last VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her left knee arthroplasty is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination that tests for pain and includes results of range of motion testing on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service treatment records and an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's left knee condition is being reviewed again as it may have existed prior to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports and potential extraschedular considerations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, exercise-induced compartment syndrome of the legs, allergic rhinitis, GERD, or migraines prior to and after May 5, 2015. The Board also found that remand was necessary for further development regarding service connection for insomnia.

The claims for service connection of left shoulder, low back, and left knee disabilities have been denied.,Service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) has also been denied.,An effective date earlier than April 28, 2015 for the grant of service connection for depression is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea (claimed as secondary to PTSD and medication for a service-connected back disability). The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions in service that could be linked to current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of bilateral pes planus and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as the grant of service connection for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, were denied due to lack of factual evidence showing an increase in disability within one year prior to January 13, 2016. The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to these decisions are also being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right and left knee conditions was granted with separate evaluations of 10 percent effective January 15, 2016. His intent to file a claim for these conditions on January 15, 2016 is considered the date entitlement arose.